Click HERE to watch the video of the race.
After recovering from toxoplasmosis, and not having run at all from July 1983 until January 1984, Coe returned to competition in the Spring of 1984 and showed encouraging form early in the season. He was selected for both 800 and 1500 metres at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, despite being narrowly beaten by Peter Elliott in the AAA Championships. For his fourth major international championships in succession, however, he failed to win his favourite 800 metre event, taking silver behind Joaquim Cruz of Brazil.
However, just as in 1980, he recovered to win gold in the 1500 metres, this time in a new Olympic record of 3:32.53, beating 1983 World 1500 m champion Steve Cram into second place by seven metres. His last 800 m was run in 1:49.8, his last lap 53.2 and his last 100 m in 12.7. This was unrivaled finishing speed at the time in such a fast paced race, all the more remarkable as it was his 7th race in 9 days in hot and humid conditions. He remains the only person to win back to back Olympic 1500 metre titles. Following the race Cram made the often repeated quote "On the day there was only one man and on the day Seb Coe was that man".
Sebastian Coe (GBR) | 3:32.53 OR | Steve Cram (GBR) | 3:33.40 | Jose Manuel Abascal (ESP) | 3:34.3 |
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